To Victory
by GIR's Infernal Waffles
Summary: Who would have thought the great Invader Zim could be foiled by a bout of stage fright? Meeting the rebels he is to lead against the empire for the first time, Zim better he glad he isn't alone. DELETED SCENE FROM "DEFECTIVE." ZaDr included.


(**A/N) Yep, the new chapter of Defective isn't gonna happen. So here's a deleted scene from the fic to tide you guys over. I cut out a lot of the rebel base because it was redundant, but this scene never left my head- I have a great amount of affection for it. ^_^ **

**FORGIVE THE TYPOS. I DIDN'T EDIT THIS FOE FEAR OF LOOSING SERVICE BEFORE I COULD POST IT. Please and thanks. :3 **

**ZaDr, yep yep. If you haven't read Defective, you may not understand a word of this. **

**Yes, Dib has a PAK. And an annoying yet innocent alternate personality inside that PAK named Lark. Yep yep. And Zim is the flippin leader of the rebellion. Or about to be. :3 **

**And now, without further ado... **

Zim fidgeted- that in and of itself was little surprise. But what was surprising, at least to Dib, was the earnest concern flashing in his ruby eyes- earnest worry.

"What's the matter?" he asked gently, nudging the Irken roughly. Zim jumped, his eyes narrowing.

"Nothing! Whatever could be the matter, foolish little earth-stink?!"

"Are you nervous?" the hybrid boy crooned playfully, then laughed. "Don't be. You're a hero in the empire, remember?"

"In the empire, perhaps..." Zim muttered, shuffling his feet. "But... my Tallest did not recognize the worth of Zim, so... who is to say that these inferior rebels will?"

Dib laughed again, honestly. "Zim, where the hell is all that annoying hubris of yours?"

"...?" Annoyed at his lack of comprehension, Zim screwed up his face. "Zim has no... hoo-bre-is," he said irritatedly. "Zim is the greatest invader Irk has ever known! None is better than Zim!"

"There's my stupid little Zim," the hybrid boy said warmly, rapping his knuckles on the alien's wide green forehead. "Thought I'd lost him to a sudden bout of stage-fright."

"No mere stage frightens Zim!" the Irken raged, rising up on his toes to increase his meager hight. "None stand before Zim!"

"Exactly," Dib affirmed. "Now look- here comes your audience."

No sooner had the stream of rebels begun to enter than Zim, so confident a moment before, dove wildly for the curtains- Dib, laughing, followed more slowly; Skoodge would give the new leader a proper introduction, anyway. As the auditorium-like room filled- with Irkens of all shapes and sizes, along with a smattering of Vortians, Meekrob, and a few species Dib's PAK had names for but the human had no point of reference for -Zim became increasingly squirmy, tying to duck out of the room several times before Dib reeled him back. Skoodge milled about on the stage, sharing glances with the two behind the curtains and otherwise gazing out with some brand of affection at the gathering crowd. It seemed to be an eternity before the whole of the rebellion had flowed in through the massive doors, settling in the great room- Zim's breath was shallow as he gazed out at them, his eyes wild with something like panic.

"To think... there were this many..." he whispered, a shiver passing thought him. Nym- recognizable by her hologram -appeared in stage beside Skoodge, another Irken in an Invader's uniform in tow. When Skoodge pointed to the curtains, both newcomers glanced in the indicated direction; Zim dove behind an amused Dib, who waved jovially.

"Greetings, little rebelling," Nym said by way of greeting, patting Zim's head. "We meet at last. And you would be Dib?"

"This one's better half," the hybrid said, offering his hand; the scientist took it, her skin cold to the touch.

"Welcome, and best of luck to you- keeping him in line, I mean."

The unnamed Invader looked more nervous than Zim, hiding behind Nym's clothes like a child. "Nyli, what is this?" he asked, his voice cracking. "There are Vortians here...! And Meekrob! They're talking about the empire... and blasphemy!"

"Hush, Squeebs," the scientist said, and Dib arched his eyebrows.

"He's not a Defective?"

Nym shook her head. "No. But there will fatalities in this coming war- and I'm not prepared to let one as innocent and bumbling as my dear boss be a victim to his own programming." There was fear in her voice- desperay hidden fear. "There are others here with similar feelings- we've been trying to figure out the formula for inducing Awakenings since the very first Defectives organized."

Dib stared safely at the pitiful creature- saved by one who cared, but torn violently from all he knew and held dear by way of payment- the pain in his eyes was a concentrated version of what Dib saw now in Zim- the pain of change.

"Best of luck to you, as well."

Nym smiled sadly, then took the invader's wrist and strode back out on stage, sharing a few more hushed words with Skoodge before taking a seat in the front of the crowd. And then the lights dimmed.

Zim squeaked as Skoodge took the microphone, addressing the gathered rebels formally. A long, somewhat tearful speech about Lepa and the Resistance's history passed in a blur, punctuated by whimpers and squeaks by an increasingly nervous Zim. And Dib found it too amusing to bother with comforting him.

"... The time has come for new hands to guide us- and I know you'll all be relieved that they aren't mine." There was a smattering of laughter, and Skoodge grinned. "I'm sure all of you are familiar with him by name, but I count myself lucky to be among the few to have met him- to know him. Now, everyone, without further ado... I would like to properly introduce you to your new leader, the only Irken with the unabashed fire to head an Invasion of his own planet... and, of course, the little alien boy who keeps a firm hold on his leash, the intellect to match the heart.

"Now, I am proud to present you with Invader Zim, and the now hybrid-boy called Dib."

Zim had frozen, suddenly; eyes wide with terror, rooted to the spot even as Skoodge stood back. In the end Dib, rolling his eyes, slipped behind him and flicked open his PAK, sending such a shock up the poor Invader's spine that he yelped and half-leaped into view on the stage. Once out in the open he snapped out of it, if a bit, glaring resentfully at Dib as he emerged too, waving in an almost apologetic way.

"Care to say a few words?" Skoodge asked, seeming unable to decide if he was more distressed or amused by the situation.

Zim swallowed, taking the microphone and turning to face the silent crowd. Nym, just visible in the front row, was trying to hide her laughter.

"Eh..."

"Lost for words, great invader?" Dib asked teasingly, pulling the microphone to his own lips briefly to say, "I, for one, am honored to be here. And even if this little jerk can formulate the words to-"

"Zim speaks for himself!" the Irken finally snapped, snatching the devise away and glaring sorely at the grinning hybrid boy. "Rebel alliance, I am Zim! Listen now to what I will tell you and why I will lead you! Let me tell you what the empire I loved- the Tallest I served most joyously -betrayed us all!

"And let me tell you how we will win!"

... ... ...

Skoodge sighed with raw relief, slumping against the curtains backstage. "Slow start, but it didn't go as badly as it could have."

Zim was practically hopping. "Let Zim see the hangers! We must prepare the armada for the coming war! Let Zim speak to the soldiers immediately!"

"We're good for today, oh great leader," Dib said, leaning up to rest folder arms on Zim's shoulders, pressing him down. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"But Zim will lead these rebels to sweet victory!" the invader declared, and then laughed maniacally. "Sweet, sweet victory, yes!"

"You will, Zim, but not today," Skoodge murmured, sneaking up behind the both of them and slipping into Zim's PAK, rendering the over-zealous little invader unconscious with a flick of his wrist. Dib smiled indulgently, bundling his partner up in strong arms.

"He'll need his strength."

"Yeah."

"He'll do it, you know?" Dib asked suddenly, and Skoodge modded.

"Did you ever doubt him?"

"Maybe briefly," the hybrid boy admitted, leaning down to touch his forehead to the unconscious Irken's. "But how could I doubt my formidable mortal enemy for long?"

Skoodge smirked, such a comment perfectly appropriate in his mind. "Yes... I know better than to underestimate the little fool. I think the Talledt will learn it soon enough."

"I know they will," whispered Dib. "I just hope... his most extraordinary qualities, his most edgy, his most precious... I hope we don't need to call on them. I hope this war won't bleed us all dry."

"You can't bleed someone as incredible as Zim dry," Skoodge assured him quietly, and Dib smiled.

"That's why I love him."

"And that's why he loves you."

The human snorted. "Zim doesn't love me. He throws a fit when I even breath the l-word."

Bt Skoodge didn't even hesitate. "Zim loves you, Dib- he's too vibrant to do anything half-way, including affection. What he feels for you is every bit as passionate as his whole being. He just... doesn't like the word for it."

Dib blushed unexpectedly, looking down at the Irken in his arms. "He's... a moron like that, I suppose," he choked through mysterious tears.

"Exactly. You mean so much to him it scares him. He just doesn't like the word for it, poor Romeo."

"Ha. Then I suppose I'm Juliet in your analogy?"

"Ha. I suppose you are."

"... Thanks, Skoodge."

"Don't mention it."

**(A/N) Hope this helps earn me forgiveness for the delay on the update- thanks for hanging with me, guys. :'3 **

**Leave a review for me to come home to? Please? **


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